Tractor attachment for automobiles



M. L. SCHLUETERM TRACTOR ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24,1920 31 1 1 1 E95ztntei Apr. 41- ELEEZZQ 2 SHEETS-SHEET1.

M. L. SCHLUETER. TRACTOR ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES, APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24', 1920.

Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- J72 Wen/far:

TENT OFFICE.

TRACTOR ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES.

ll Art 1 ,523.

Application fil fed March 24 T 0 all 10 from it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAx L. S oHLL'nTEn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Tractor Attachments for Automobiles, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of -the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object to produce a simple and novel device which may be placed underneath an automobile and,

without dismantling or altering the latter,

transform the automobile into tractor driven from the automobile power plant.

In carrying out my invention I employ a low fourwheeled truck which is placed preferably under the driving axle of an automobile and is driven from the driving wheels; endless tracks or belts being passed over the wheels on each side of the truck to provide a large tread surface. This truck, in addition to its tractor properties, serves also to reduce the jolting effect in travelling over rough roads, by reason of the fact that the automobile runs on six instead of only four wheels when the tractor device isin use. Therefore, where rough roads are to be traversed, if the wheels of the tractor are properly selected, the user may take ofi the endlesss tracks or belts and use the tractor device simply as a means for producing smooth running over the rough roads.

In one of its aspects, therefore, my invention may be regarded as an attachment for automobiles adapted to make them run more smoothly over rough roads than they would without the attachment.

The various features of novelty 'whei'eby my invention is characterized will hereinafter he pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its object and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side view of the rear end of an automobile mounted on my improved tractor device;

Fig. 2 is a rear view. on an enlarged scale,

Specification of Letters Patent.

desired form and, if

Patented Apr, 4, 1922.

, 1920. Serial No. 368,261.

of the tractor device showing the rear wheels and axle of the automobile in place;

F1g. 3 is a top plan view of the tractor dc vice on the same scale as Fig. 2, the rear axle and wheels of the automobile being shown in dotted lines;

Flg. 4 is a section taken approximately on llnB 4-4 of Fig. 3, on an enlarged scale;

Fig: 5 1s a side view of a fragment of the flexible track or belt; and

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 3, the axle being shown innfull lines.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a suitable platform or frame having a groove or seat, 2, extending across the same at about the middle; this groove or seat being shaped to receive the rear axle, 3, of the automobile to which the traction device is to be applied. The frame is supported at its four corners upon suitable wheels, at, which may take any desired, be ordinary automobile wheels with pneumatic tires. A flexible track or belt, 5, extends around the two wheels on each side of the device. The under side of the track or belt may be shaped to fit the contour of the tread surfaces of the wheels in order to prevent relative lateral displacement. Each of the two forward wheels is provided with a sprocket wheel, 6, attached thereto.

In using the device, the rear end of the automobile, indicated as a whole at 7, is

lifted, the traction device is placed under-f neath the same so as to bring the rear axle just above the groove or seat, 2. The automobile is then lowered'until its axle rests in the seat and its rear wheels, 8, lie between the endless tracks and the sides of the frame or platform. The traction device and the automobile may then be fastened together in any suitable way as, for example, by means of a number of U bolts 9, passing over the axle and downwardly through openings, 10, in the frame of platform. If desired, arms or posts, not shown, may be. rigidly fastened to the frame of the automobile and project downwardly into interlocking relation with some part of the frame as. for example, by entering holes, 11, in the frame near the front end of the latter. Such additional holding means will serve to relieve the driving axle of twisting strains in turning curves.

After the rear end of the automobile has been secured on the tractor device, sprocket come within the terms employed in the defiwheels, 12. are attached to the rear wheels nitions of my invention constituting the of the automobile; the parts being so proappended claims. portioned that each of the sprocket wheels, I claim: 6, will lie in the same vertical plane at right 1. A device for converting an automobile angles to the axles as the corresponding into a tractor, comprising a frame, two supsprocket wheel, 12. A sprocket chain, 14, is porting wheels on each side of the frame, then passed over each pair of sprocket said supporting wheels being provided with wheels 6 and 12, and the transformation of pneumatic tires, an endless track passing the simple automobile into a caterpillar tracaround the two wheels on each side'of the tor is complete. The sprocket wheels. 12, frame, said frame having a transverse scat may be smaller than the sprocket wheels on for receiving the rear axle of an automobile, the tractor device so as to effect a speed and having openings at the ends of said seat reduction and permit the automobile to opto permit the driving wheels of an automoerate at a lower speed as a tractor than bile resting on said device to project downwh en running as a simple automobile. wardly beside said tracks, one of the wheels The parts are of course so proportioned on each side having on the inner side therethat the rear wheels of the automobile are of a sprocket wheel arranged in a vertical held raised out of contact with the surface plane close to that containing the corover which the tractor device travels. responding driving wheel of the automobile It will thus be seen that I have produced when the latter is resting on said frame. a simple and novel device which may cpiickly 2. A device for converting an automobile and easily be applied to an automo il'e to into a tractor, comprising an approximately transform the latter into an efficient tractor square platform having supporting wheels and which may just as easily and convenat the four corners thereof, an endless track ,iently again be disconnected therefrom so as passing around each of the sets of two again to convert the automobile into a simwheels on opposite sides of the platform, ple automobile. said platform having a depression extending "It will also be seen that when the tractor across the same midway between the front device is in'use the rear end of the autoand rear wheels to form a seat for the rear mobile is supported on four wheels instead-=axle of an automobile and having'openings of only two; so thatwhen either the front at the ends of said depression to permit the or rear wheels of the tractor device strike rear driving wheels on an automible axle a projection in the the road or drop into a resting in said depression to project downdepression the vertical movement of-the rear wardly. one wheel of each set having on the end of the automobile produced thereby is inner side thereof a sprocket wheel. only one-half as great as in the case where 3. In a device of the. character described. theautomobile is running on its own wheels. an approximately square platform having the tractor device. as a whole, rocking on the four supporting wheels arranged two on rear axle. Consequently it may often be each side thereof an endless track passing found to be of advantage to use the tractor. around the wheels on each side of the platwith its endless tracks removed, simply for form. said platform having a central transthe purpose of securing easy riding qualities verse depression adapted to serve as a seat over rough roads, particularly where the. for the rear axle of an automobile and havwheels of the tractor device are ordinary ing at the ends of said depression openings pneumatic-tired automobile wheels. through which the rear driving wheels mav \Vhile I have illustrated and described extend when the axle. is seated in said dewith particularity only a single preferred pression. form of my invention, I do not desire to be In testimony whereof. I sign this specilimited to the exact structural details thus lication. illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which MAX L. SCI'ILUEIER. 

